Dirty water affects Florida Oceanographic Society's bottom line

FILE PHOTO Brittany Grutter, a freshman at George Mason University, hands off a bag of oyster shells to Dr. Vincent Encomio, PhD., a marine scientist with the Florida Oceanographic Society, while working on a project to plant oyster shells in an effort to stabilize the shoreline at Peck Lake Park Friday in Hobe Sound. Grutter, who is studying Environmental Science with a concentration in Aquatic Ecology, is one of 14 students from George Mason visiting Stuart while participating in an alternative spring break. The students arrived in Martin County on Saturday, March 8, and have been working on diffferent enviornmental projects such as trail maintenance, evasive plant removal and native planting throughout the week in addition to the oyster reef restoration. Planting the oyster shells is part of an overall oyster reef restoration effort in the area. The group from George Mason worked on the oyster reef restoration project along the Riverwalk in downtown Stuart in 2011. The benefits of oyster reefs include water filtration, marine life habitat and shoreline stabilization and erosion control, according to Encomio. The reefs are being planted at Peck Lake Park to protect against erosion caused by the wakes from boats that move through the channel.

Treasure Coast Newspapers

STUART — To the list of marinas, bait shops, fishing guides and kayak renters losing money because of environmental damage to the St. Lucie River estuary, add the Florida Oceanographic Society.